Why do people talk about emperor and up?

[Uberskurk]

For me there is such a huge difference between emperor and immortal that you cannot put them in the same category.

I can win perhaps 90% of emperor games given any starting location and leader.
On immortal, I have to pick a leader and reroll a good starting location. Even then I can win perhaps only 40% of those.

Given the above I currently find the game hard to enjoy. I can't remember the exact jump in Ai bonuses, but are there any specific things you need to consider on immortal?

I play normal speed, barbs and tech brokering on.

 

[revengeofmakno]

If you look at the numbers, Emperor is a comparatively large leap over Monarch especially in terms of what the AI starts with, while Immortal is not comparatively as large a leap over Emperor. From Immortal to Deity, there is another comparatively large leap, However, it could be that the small changes from Emp to Imm are enough to put your game into a difficult position.

 

[Kid R]

I agree, but do people really say "emperor and up"? I'd say it's far more common to see "immortal+".

Biggest difference for me was that on Emperor with good micro you can out-tech and outproduce the AI, so basically win most games without having to think too much about grand strategy or whatever. At immortal+ that's not possible and winning requires (in addition to good micro) some intelligence and creativity in diplo/expansion/attack timing/everything else.

The difficulty level increments really are beautifully judged in Civ 4 IMO. Each one requires you to add significantly to your game.

 

[Uberskurk]

Can someone direct me to a page with the Ai bonuses on? The Ai gets like 0.7 production bonus on immortal right?

Perhaps you're right with the creativity thing, studying accounting has sucked my creative essences from me. I used to play immortal maybe 1.5 years ago, then stopped playing, started playing civ4 again when I bought civ5.

 

[Kid R]

Perhaps you're right with the creativity thing, studying accounting has sucked my creative essences from me.

I bet the immortal level accountants can be pretty creative when they have to can't they

The AI has loads of different bonuses for different things - see XML\GameInfo\Civ4HandicapInfo.xml. I don't know what they all do, but here's one you might be thinking of:

<iAIUnitCostPercent>80</iAIUnitCostPercent>

That figure's 100% up to prince, then 95, 90, 85, 80, and finally 60% for deity

 

[vicawoo]

immortal bts has a free worker

 

[catfish99]

immortal bts has a free worker

Just steal it. Advantage you.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Then you are at war with an Immortal AI, with all their free units and bonuses. You need to weigh up the options.